Former Minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Turgumbaev has been taken into custody for the duration of the pre-trial investigation, as reported by the General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan.
The General Prosecutor's Office stated, "On April 30, 2024, the Specialized Investigative Court of Astana sanctioned a preventive measure in the form of detention for a period of two months against the former Minister of Internal Affairs Turgumbaev E. Z."
On April 30, 2024, the supervisory authority announced that on April 29, former Minister of Internal Affairs Erlan Turgumbaev was detained for abuses of power and official authority that led to serious consequences. Details of the pre-trial investigation are not disclosed due to the presence of information constituting state secrets.
On March 20, the General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan stated that former Minister of Internal Affairs Erlan Turgumbaev was interrogated as part of investigations related to "failure to ensure law and order and security during the January events, as well as the use of torture against citizens."
On March 19, 2024, social media posts indicated that a criminal case had been opened against the former Minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan. It was noted that Erlan Turgumbaev is suspected of abusing his official powers. The acting head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan at the time stated, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs is not conducting the investigation, so I cannot comment."
